Birthday Party

Yay! Dan made it home safe and sound from Japan and the final birthday party preparations are complete. Yesterday Maumaw and Paupaw kept an eye on Luke, Olivia, and their friend Lilah while my good friend Meredith and I decorated the clubhouse with lots of bugs and butterflies...the theme for this year. We weren't able to get everything quite done, so my other good friend Sabrina was awesome enough to lend a hand once Luke and Olivia went to bed for the night. Yesterday I also picked up their special shirts my friend made. Luke's has an ant on it with a number "2" and his name and Olivia's has a butterfly on it with a number "2" and her name.

The cakes are made (a butterfly for Olivia and a caterpillar for Luke), the treat bags are stuffed, and the food is finished. It has been fun to have a bug and butterfly theme because it gave me lots of options to make some "homemade" decorations. I know once they get older, that won't be "cool" anymore so I'm enjoying it while I can!!!

Their party was from 4-5:30pm, which worked well for us because it was after their naptime but before dinner. Thankfully they both took an early nap and woke up just in time to get dressed for their party. A small victory because no nap=cranky kid=not a fun party. We were lucky enough to have lots of neighborhood kids join us, as well as family and some friends from Atlanta.

After some snacks, it was time to do some "party activities." I made coloring books with bugs and butterflies pages and pipe cleaners with pompoms to wrap around headbands for antennae. Then it was time for a "bug hunt." We filled a plastic pool with deer corn and buried lots of plastic bugs, butterflies, raisins and other treats. The kids had the BEST time digging in the corn and finding their prizes. Seeing the joy on their faces was priceless...

We decided it would be too much to open presents during the party, so we brought them back to our house and had family and a few close friends over for pizza and presents. Luke was a professional present opener pretty quickly, while Olivia preferred to keep her presents "closed." We opened a few presents and decided to save some for the next few days to open. I actually put a few presents away (once opened) for a rainy day in January. It was getting pretty late so it was time for baths and bed.

What an exciting day and quite humbling to see our babies turn two. Dan and I have become stronger as a couple, and we are proud of the two little people we are raising. There is nothing like a little two year old saying "wuv you mommy, wuv you daddy" to make us remember what is really important...family, good friends, health and happiness.

Can't wait to see what the next year holds!